An Analysis of Dilemma Argument in Buddhist Philosophy’s View

Naowarat Panwilai, Tanet Panhuaphai

Abstract

Buddhist‘s Dilemma is one of the difficult problems which is forced the answerers to choose between two horns by the characters of those defenses. If one chooses first horn then the answer will immediately against the latter horn. Buddhist’s Dilemmas are often composed by non-Buddhists ascetics for debating with the Buddha and his followers. It is found that most problems have sprung from the fallacy of false dilemma. So that, there is the third horn in Buddhist philosophy to avoid those two horns and this is called four ways of answering questions (byākaraṇa 4) and another arguments to support the defenses.It is found that in Buddhist philosophy, vibhajjabyākaraṇa is used as basic method to attack the simple Dilemma in Buddhism such as in the case of the questions about Buddhist ethics. Additionally, the complex dilemma such as the combination of the question between Buddhist metaphysics and ethics are often used more than one method to attack them such as paṭipucchā byākaraṇa (requiring a counter questions), vibhajjabyākaraṇa (requiring explanation) and analogy argument are used together.